It was only two years ago that zero rookie quarterbacks started in Week 1, but for the second straight season, the landscape promises to be completely different around the NFL.
After six quarterbacks were selected in the top 12 picks of April’s draft, a handful are expected to start the season under center and even more could wind up starting as the season progresses, if history is any indication.
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels seem assured starting roles to begin their careers, while Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix will at least compete to start Week 1. Only Michael Penix Jr. has his path truly blocked
among the first-round QBs, as the Falcons plan to sit him behind Kirk Cousins indefinitely.
Here’s a look at which rookie quarterbacks will match up in 2024, plus some other matchups involving rookie signal-callers to look forward to.
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For the second consecutive year, the No. 1 and No. 2 picks are set to face off in the regular season. Last year’s matchup didn’t exactly tell the tale of how the season went, as Bryce Young earned his first NFL win over C.J. Stroud and the Texans.
The Bears and Commanders are set to battle as a result of both teams finishing last in their respective divisions in 2023. The game will be at FedEx Field, so Daniels will welcome Williams to the Washington D.C. area and aim to prove that the Commanders are rising as fast as the Bears appear to be.
Not only is this a matchup of the top two picks, but it’s also a battle of the last two Heisman Trophy winners. Both Williams and Daniels conquered college football as individuals, though each struggled to overcome subpar defenses at different points. Will the same issues plague them in the NFL?
Williams will face J.J. McCarthy twice in 2024, assuming McCarthy beats out Sam Darnold for the Vikings’ starting quarterback job. Given McCarthy is considered the future in Minnesota, it seems likely he would take over at some point even if Darnold won out in training camp.
The Bears and Vikings both missed the playoffs in 2023, but these are two quarterbacks walking into unusually strong situations. Williams has three strong receiving options, as well as a solid tight end in Cole Kmet. McCarthy has a bright offensive mind as his head coach, plus Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones and, when healthy, T.J. Hockenson (knee) to work with.
Could a Bears-Vikings matchup late in the season carry serious playoff implications? It’s possible, but it would require these two quarterbacks to step right in and take advantage of the weapons they have surrounding them. If they do, this could be a fun battle to see twice.
Williams will also meet the No. 3 pick as the Bears host Drake Maye and the Patriots. Maye isn’t guaranteed to be New England’s starter, but he will certainly be given a fair shot in the competition against Jacoby Brissett.
The Bears have assembled a strong group of weapons around Williams. In New England, it’s more of a work-in-progress. The Patriots didn’t have any offensive firepower last season, and it could take time to build a cohesive offense for the young Maye. That should make the Bears home favorites in this matchup, but that’s very much subject to change.
It would be fun if Maye got a chance to face Daniels, as Maye spent much of the 2023 season considered the likely No. 2 pick before Daniels jumped him in the Commanders’ eyes. While that won’t happen in 2024, Maye outdueling Williams would still be quite a statement.
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Daniels was often compared to Lamar Jackson during the pre-draft process. While not everyone was thrilled with that take, it’s no secret Daniels at least somewhat models his game around Jackson. What a statement it would be to at least give the Ravens a close game in Baltimore, where it was tough for even C.J. Stroud to compete last season.
Commanders fans might shudder at the idea of their stripped-down defense going up against Jackson, but a strong showing from Daniels would elevate the rookie’s reputation, win or lose.
MORE: Why Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers called off $10k Rookie of the Year bet
It’s only fitting that the No. 1 pick, hailed by some as a quarterback similar to Patrick Mahomes
, goes to Kansas City and faces Mahomes in 2024.
The Bears were embarrassed at Arrowhead Stadium in 2023 in the game better known for Taylor Swift’s surprise appearance that effectively confirmed her relationship with Travis Kelce.
Williams has a chance to quickly put those memories in the rearview mirror. The Raiders proved last season that there is a path to winning in Kansas City even with a talent disadvantage, but it requires confidence. Williams won’t be short on swagger.
Could the Vikings’ future face the Vikings’ past in 2024? If McCarthy is starting by the time Minnesota hosts the Falcons, the rookie could get a chance to take down Kirk Cousins and assert himself as Cousins’ long-term successor.
There is also the possibility that this game is a rookie vs. rookie battle, if Cousins were to be dealing with an injury. Michael Penix Jr., surprisingly drafted ahead of McCarthy, is waiting in the wings for Atlanta.
The better storyline, though, is Cousins’ return to Minnesota. Fans might appreciate what he gave the franchise, but there’s no doubt U.S. Bank Stadium would be extra loud in cheering on McCarthy as the rookie looks to prove that the future is now for the Vikings.
Maye was often compared to Herbert during the pre-draft process, if only because both entered the league with a tantalizing combination of arm talent and prototypical NFL size.
Many now believe scouts overthought Herbert in 2020 when he was drafted behind Tua Tagovailoa. Did the Commanders overthink Maye when they passed on him? He’s nearly two years younger than Daniels and showed flashes of an NFL arm from day one at North Carolina.
While Maye doesn’t get to face Daniels head-to-head in 2024, he does take on the player he can best emulate in Herbert when the Patriots welcome the Chargers to Gillette Stadium.
MORE: 4 things to know about new Patriots QB Drake Maye
Nix, should he start for the Broncos, will face Patrick Mahomes twice. Even more fun might be a matchup between Nix and Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
Like Nix, Burrow was a late-bloomer at the college level and saw his NFL Draft stock skyrocket after transferring from his first school. Of course, Burrow didn’t face as many questions entering the NFL. The only concern might have been the fact he only posted one truly impressive season at the college level, but he quickly answered those questions with an excellent start to his career.
Nix can take 2024 and prove he most closely resembles the Oregon version of himself, not the Auburn version, and he can do that by going toe-to-toe with a quarterback who shares his energy and passion in Burrow.
